An Unbreakable Bond
by Lorilozz
Summary: Lucas and Haley always knew the day would come when their lives would take different paths, but they knew for sure that no matter where they lived or how often they saw each other, they had an unbreakable bond and they’d be best friends forever.


**Title:** An Unbreakable Bond

**Summary:** Lucas and Haley always knew the day would come when their lives would take different paths, but they knew for sure was that no matter where they lived or how often they saw each other, they had an unbreakable bond and they'd be best friends forever.

**Author's Note:** This was written for the 100th Lucas & Haley appreciation thread at FanForum.

"Morning."

Haley looked up to see her best friend sending her a concerned smile. It was still early, only sever thirty and he was looking adorably as he entered the kitchen, pouring himself a coffee and sitting next to her at the table. He leaned across and placed a kiss on her cheek before brushing his lips across his nephew's forehead, the baby sleeping peacefully in his mother's arms.

"Hey Luke. I'm sorry he woke you up so many times last night. Normally I can keep the noise down for you in our room, but with Nathan needing sleep before today I didn't want to have him crying in there."

Even though the home they shared was small, one major benefit was that the master bedroom was at the other end of the house to Luke's room. It was a nice little bit of privacy that made the four of them living together just a little easier when sometimes it felt like they were living in each other's pockets.

"Don't worry about it." He replied honestly. His nephew usually slept fairly well but he'd been a little ill the last few days and unfortunately he'd woken up several times throughout the night. People wondered why he chose to live with his brother, best friend and baby nephew. Most college students suffered from lack of sleep due to partying hard or late night studying sessions, but his was caused by the little bundle of joy in his best friend's arms.

"I thought I heard Nathan before, has he left already?"

Haley nodded with a yawn. The three of them had been wearing themselves out coping with studying, exams and Jamie who required almost 'round the clock attention and it was definitely catching up with her, her body feeling as though it was ready to go into hibernation for at least a week! She and Luke had finished their exams the day before but Nathan still had his final exam that morning.

"He was up early for a run while I cooked him breakfast and then we ran through his notes. The exam starts at eight and he was beyond nervous so he left a little early just to make sure he wouldn't be late." She laughed at the thought, it being well known that Nathan had trouble making any of his classes on time. Between basketball and a baby he was pretty much always late. "That husband of mine is getting to his exam on time and he's going to kick A-S-S."

"I'm sure he will." Luke laughed, loving how Haley's enthusiasm for helping people and tutoring was still as strong as it had been when they were sixteen… that and her strong belief in his brother's abilities to achieve his goals. "You're going to make a great teacher on day, Hales."

"Thank you."

Haley smiled, his words touching her deeply. This year had been hard, really hard but Luke had definitely made things a lot easier on her and Nathan and he didn't even realize how much. It wasn't just the day to day things like looking after Jamie, keeping house and school… it was the love and comfort and support he provided. It was hard to remember a time when Luke hadn't been a part of her life and even though she always knew they'd probably end up at different colleges, the reality of it hit her hard at the end of high school. When Luke had told her he was coming with them to Gilmore College she had never loved him more. Sure, it was a good opportunity for him too with coaching alongside Whitey but she knew in her heart he'd done it for them, for their family… and that's what they were. Family.

"Have I told you how much I love you lately?" she asked with a wobbly smile, the combination of nostalgia and lack of sleep getting the better of her.

"Not lately," he chuckled, reaching over and taking her hand, "but I don't need to hear it to know it's true. You're my best friend Hales, my sister-in-law, mother to the most important little guy in my life… you're a part of me."

"You really are a writer aren't you?" she teased mockingly doing a poor job of covering up how weepy his words were making her.

"Yep. I'll probably never be a published one… but in my heart I'll always be a writer." Luke shook his head ruefully, feeling a familiar pang of disappointment thinking about the rejection letter he'd received in the mail.

"Don't say that Luke! Your book is incredible. You've created something so powerful and full of truth and meaning that touches people in so many different ways… you will get published. I have no doubts about that."

Luke was always humbled by her unfailing faith in him. Even when he'd lost hope for himself she was always there to bolster him up and remind him why he had to keep trying. "I don't know what I'd do without you cheering me on."

"We're a team. We always have been." Haley smiled at him and then squeezed his hand, "But I want you to know that as much I love having you here - and if I were more selfish I'd try to talk you into always staying - you need to do what's right for you. This past year has been incredible but you have sort of..." she sighed, not knowing how to express her thoughts, "I worry that you've been putting off your own life to look after us. I know you wanted to do it, to be here for us and to see Jamie grow up but if that's all that's keeping you here and you feel like you have to explore other things or other opportunities then you should do it. I know you, Luke, and I know you'll feel some misguided sense of guilt, like you're abandoning us but you're not. I just want you happy."

Shaking his head, Luke marveled at how perceptive she'd always been with him. He had no idea what was going to happen next year but recently he'd been thinking about what he was going to do and whether he should stay or move on. He'd been feeling so guilty worrying about how Nathan and Haley would cope on their own. Then there was the other issue. If he were honest he had also been having thoughts of just how well they might cope without him… like they didn't need him anymore and how less regular contact with his nephew might lead to Jamie not evening knowing how much the little boy meant to him and how involved he'd been in his life up to this point.

"I am happy… but I promise to look at all my options if an opportunity arises, okay?"

"Okay." She replied, before grinning down at her son who had just opened his eyes and yawned before seeing his mommy and smiling as his hands reached up towards her face.

"Jamie's always going to know how important he is to you Luke and how important you are to us."

"I love him more than I could have ever imagined, Hales. I think of how much Keith meant to me and the role he played in my life and I want Jamie to know he has that with me, you know?"

Hearing the familiar sound of his uncle's voice, Jamie twisted in his mother's arms trying to find him, his smile turning into a grin.

"I know… and he already knows it too. Look at that face! He has different smiles for all of us and that's his Uncle Luke smile." Haley said lifting her son into Lucas' outstretched arms.

His heart melted at the sight, the same way it did every time Jamie smiled at him. This little boy was a part of him, and had been since the day Haley had come to him with the news of her pregnancy and he'd comforted her, telling her it was all going to be alright and that he was there for her and the baby no matter what. They'd found family in each other, Haley quickly latching on to him and his mother from an early age and then through Haley he'd connected with his brother.

To this day he was convinced that he and Nathan would never have bridged the gap between them without his best friend and he'd always be thankful to her for that. And now the two dorky best friends who had ventured into an unfamiliar world were legally family tied by marriage and blood. He often thought they were destined to be that way because from the time he'd met Haley and she'd followed him back to the café declaring he and Karen needed her more than her own big family, her place in his life and his heart had been cemented.

"For the record… I love you too, Hales."

Haley felt her eyes tearing up again and she shook her head woefully. "Oh God, when did we become those mushy friends spouting out 'I love you's' and 'BFFs forever'?" she asked with a self-deprecating laugh.

"I don't know, but I won't tell anyone how lame we are if you won't." Luke laughed, bouncing a now wide awake Jamie on his knee. "It'll be our secret shame… BFF."

Haley chuckled, picking up the newspaper sitting on the table and playfully swatting his shoulder; a giggle erupting from her son who found it highly amusing. As they continued to play, hoping to wear the little boy out, both of them relished their time together feeling like it might be coming to an end soon. They'd always be family but the four of them living together like this had been such a blessing that their lives would feel a little emptier when it ended. One thing they knew for sure was that no matter where they lived or how often they saw each other, they had an unbreakable bond and they'd be best friends forever.


End file.
